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A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS 



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MRS. FLORA BELLE CLARK. 



CHICAGO: / C- 

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY, 

1893 



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Copyright, 1893, by Mrs. Flora Belle Clark. 



Acknowledgement is gratefully made to Messrs. Oliver Ditson & 
Co. ; The Biglow & Main Co. ; and The John Church Co. ; owners of 
the copyright hymns in the following pages, for permission to use 
these selections. 



TO MY MOTHER 



PREFACE. 



It was in September, 1888. The loss by death 
of my husband the July previous had completely 
undermined my health. My friends were anxious 
for me to try a change. 

We, my mother and I, decided to visit my 
sister in Brooklyn, N. Y. We left Chicago the 
26th of September. 

October 21st I was taken sick with typhoid 
fever. My attending physician was Dr. George 
Smith, a well known physician of that place. 

My nurse, Mrs. Bush, was the only one in 
attendance after the family retired for the night. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 



Of the many who perhaps may read this 
little book, some will say that it was a vision, 
others that it was a dream — still others that it 
was the fancies of a fevered brain. To all I 
will say, that I would willingly pass through 
the sufferings attending that dread disease, 
typhoid fever, to again spend a night with the 
angels. 

I lay ill at the home of my sister, in the city 
of Brooklyn, N. Y., having, in company with 
my mother, gone there for a visit. All that lov- 
ing and willing hearts and hands could do was 
done for my comfort. 

It was about half -past nine at night, and, 
my sufferings seeming to increase, a member 
of the family suggested again calling the phy- 
sician, who had only left the house a short 
time before. 

I aroused myself and said : < k I feel a little 



12 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

better now, and think 1 can sleep. If not you 
may call the doctor." 

There was a soothing, sweet sensation steal- 
ing over my senses, and I heard what seemed 
to me at first a buzzing sound. I tried to 
move. The sound became clearer. It proved 
to be the singing of angels, accompanied by 
instruments never heard on earth. 

Oh, that my pen could describe that music ! 
The angels bore me away to a place I called 
Heaven— a beautiful valley among the clouds. 
A place to know one must see, but beyond the 
power of words or pen to tell one-half its glory. 

I realized that I was not dead, only allowed 
to look into Heaven. A beautiful light shone 
over all. 

To describe what I saw will be a task for 
me, and I fear what I do say will only give a 
faint idea of the loveliness and grandeur that 
my eyes beheld. 

It seemed like a valley among the clouds. 
The coloring of all the surroundings was of a 
delicate pearl tint, with a beautiful light shed 
over all. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 13 

The thought came to me — we are told that 
God sheds his light over all, the Heavens and 
the earth, and the light, coming as it did from 
some unknown source, seemed to be the light 
of God. Not being dead, I was not allowed to 
see God ; only the light of God, that shed its 
radiance over that part of Heaven. 

My husband was there. He smiled at me. 
The smile expressed pleasure at seeing me, but 
it waved me back to earth. They were not 
ready to receive me. 

The angels brought me back. I opened 
my eyes— my sister was beside me. I ex- 
claimed : "Oh, Fannie! I have been to Hea- 
ven. Daniel was there, and he smiled at me." 

Her only answer was tears. 

Then I returned to the angels. The same 
wonderful music and the feeling that the 
angels were all around me and were carrying 
me away. They carried me to a river. On 
the water was a boat filled with people, and I 
could hear their oars dip in the water as they 
were rowing to the opposite shore. They 
were singing < < Safe on the Evergreen Shore. ' ' 



14 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

I could see them as they landed on the 
other side, and their voices floated back across 
the water, " We are landed at last, safe on the 
evergreen shore." 

I knew I was still on this side of the water. 

We are joyously voyaging over the main, 

Bound for the evergreen shore — 
Whose inhabitants never of sickness complain, 

And never see death any more. 

Chorus. — Then let the hurricane roar, 
It will the sooner be o'er; 
We will weather the blast 
And will land at last- 
Safe on the evergreen shore. 

We have nothing to fear from the wind and 
the wave, 
Under our Saviour's command; 
And our hearts in the midst of the dangers 
are brave, 
For Jesus will bring us to land. 

Both the wind and the waves our Commander 
controls, 
Nothing can baflle his skill — 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 15 

And his voice when the thundering hurricane 
rolls 
Can make the loud tempest be still. 

In the thick murky night, when the stars and 
the moon 
Send not a glimmering ray — 
Then the light of his countenance, brighter 
than noon, 
Will drive all our terror away. 

Let the high, heaving billow and mountain- 
ous wave 
Fearfully overhead break; 
There is one by our side that can comfort 
and save 
There's one who will never forsake. 

Let the vessel be wrecked on the rock or the 
shoal, 
Sink to be seen nevermore — 
He will bear none the less every passenger 
soul 
Safe, safe, to the evergreen shore. 

The angels brought me back to earth. I 
related to my attending nurse where I had 



16 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

been, what I had seen, and then returned to 
hear the Heavenly music. 

This time the song was "More to Follow," 
intermingled with divine instruments. As I 
heard them I thought they must mean me. I 
am one of the "more to follow," and that 
I was to die. I was ready and willing to go. 

Have you on the Lord believed ? 

Still there's more to follow. 
Of his grace have you received? 

Still there's more to follow. 
Oh, the grace the Father shows ! 

Still there's more to follow. 
Freely he his grace bestows; 

Still there's more to follow. 
Chorus. — 

More and more, more and more — 

Always more to follow. 
Oh, his matchless, boundless love ! 

Still there's more to follow. 

Have you felt the Saviour near ? 

Still there's more to follow. 
Does his blessed presence cheer ? 

Still there's more to follow. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 17 

Oh, the love that Jesus shows ! 

Still there's more to follow. 
Freely he his love bestows; 

Still there's more to follow. 

Have you felt the spirit's power ? 

Still there's more to follow. 
Falling like the gentle shower; 

Still there's more to follow. 
Oh, the power the Spirit shows ! 

Still there's more to follow. 
Freely He his power bestows; 

Still there's more to follow. 

After singing the song through they left 
me. I related all I had heard, then returned 
to the angels. This time the song was of the 
" Beautiful Home." 

I will sing you a song of that beautiful land, 

The far away home of the soul; 
Where no storms ever beat on the glittering 
strand, 
While the years of eternity roll. 
Where no storms ever beat on that glittering 
strand, 
While the years of eternity roll. 



18 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

Oh, the home of the soul, in my visions and 
dreams 

Its bright jasper walls I can see, 
'Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes 

Between that fair city and me; 

Between that fair city and me. 
'Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes 

Between that fair city and me. 

There the great tree of life in its beauty doth 
grow, 

And the river of life floweth by — 
For no death ever enters that city, you know, 

And nothing that maketh a lie; 

And nothing that maketh a lie. 
For no death ever enters that city, you know, 

And nothing that making a lie. 

That unchangeable home is for you and for me, 

Where Jesus of Nazareth stands. 
The King of all kingdoms forever is He, 

And He holdeth our crowns in His hands; 

And He holdeth our crowns in His hands, 
The King of all kingdoms forever is He, 

And He holdeth our crowns in His hands. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 19 

Oh, how sweet it will be in that beautiful 
home ! 
So free from all sorrow and pain. 
With songs on our lips and with harps in our 
hands; 
To meet one another again. 
To meet one another again, 
With songs on our lips and with harps in our 
hands, 
To meet one another again. 

Again I returned to earth and repeated 
what I had heard — then again to hear the 
angels sing. But the music seemed so far 
away ! I tried so hard to hear what they were 
singing, and because I could not I moaned. 

The nurse asking the cause of my distress, 
I told her that 6 ' the angels were so far away I 
could not hear them." 

She replied: "I would not try. Go to 
sleep — try to rest. ' ' 

u Oh, no ! " I answered, "1 would not 
stay here for anything! I am going .back to 
Heaven." 



20 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

I did return and the angels sang " Sweet 
By and By:" 

There's a land that is fairer than day, 
And by faith we can see it afar — 

For the Father waits over the way 
To prepare us a dwelling place there. 

Chorus. — 

In the sweet by and by 

We shall meet on that beautiful shore. 
In the sweet by and by 

We shall meet on that beautiful shore. 

We shall sing on that beautiful shore 
The melodious songs of the blest; 

And our spirits shall sorrow no more — 
Not a sigh for the blessings of rest. 

To our bountiful Father above 

We will Offer our tribute of praise, 

For the glorious gift of his love, 

And the blessings that hallow our days. 

After the song was finished they repeated 
the chorus, and as they did so they commenced 
to ascend above me. When they were directly 
over me they separated and formed a crown, 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 21 

and in the center of the crown was the most 
brilliant star I have ever seen. Then the 
crown descended — it seemed to be coming 
directly over me; the star fast disappearing 
from sight. 

I thought it was death and, although I was 
ready and willing to go I caught my breath as 
the crown came so near. But instead of com- 
ing over me it went down beside me, and as 
near as it could without touching me. 

Again I returned to earth, telling the 
nurse, who also thought it was death fast 
approaching. 

My thoughts while relating to the nurse 
each experience was that I was dying and 
could never tell my dear ones what I was pass- 
ing through, but that she would tell them 
when I was gone. 

Still again the angels returned to me, and 
this time the song was 

Not now, my child ! 

A little more rough tossing; 

A little longer on the billow's foam: 



22 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

A few more journeyings in the desert dark- 
ness, 
And then the sunshine of thy Father's 
home. 

I reasoned: What does this mean? Am I 
to be tossed about on this bed of sickness a 
few more days or weeks, then to die and see 
the sunshine of my Father's home? Or do 
the words "Not now, my child" mean that I 
am to be tossed about on life's billows a few 
more years, a few more journeys in the dark- 
ness of earth, and then to die and see the sun- 
shine of my Father's home. 

I could not decide what they did mean. 

But again they returned to me and repeated 
the same words; 

Not now, my child! 

A little more rough tossing; 

A little longer on the billow's foam; 
A few more journeyings in the desert dark 
ness, 
And then the sunshine of thy Father's 
home. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 23 

As they were singing they commenced to 
leave me, and as the last words came to my 
ears they were fast disappearing from sight, 
and I knew they would not return. 

I was to live a few more years, to be tossed 
about on life's billows, and then to die and see 
the sunshine of my Father's home. 

Up to that time I had thought I was to die, 
but when morning dawned there was no per- 
ceptible change in my condition to my friends, 
still I knew that I would live, although too 
sick to say so to the anxious ones hovering 
near. As the days merged into weeks, and I 
gradually recovered, my one idea was to tell 
them where I had been and what I had seen 
and heard. 

My mother was the first to hear me, when 
my voice was still too weak for me to talk long 
at a time. 

Then my sisters each in their turn listened 
while I related my 

NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS, 

one sister having come from her home in Chi- 
cago on account of my severe illness. 



24 A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 

Not now, my child! 

A little more rough tossing; 

A little longer on the billow's foam; 
A few more journeyings in the desert dark- 
ness, 
And then the sunshine of thy Father's 
home. 

Not now, my child! 

For I have wanderers in the distance; 

And thou must call them in with patient 
love. 
Not now, for I have sheep upon the mountains, 
And thou must follow them where e'er they 
rove. 

Not now! 
For I have loved ones sad and weary; 

Wilt thou not cheer them with a kindly 
smile ? 
Sick ones, who need thee in their lonely sor- 
row — 
Wilt thou not tend them yet a little while. 

Not now! 

For wounded hearts are sorely bleeding, 

And thou must teach those widowed hearts 
to sing. 



A NIGHT WITH THE ANGELS. 25 

Not now! 

For orphans' tears are quickly falling — 

They must be gathered 'neath some shelter- 
ing wing. 

Go with the name of Jesus to the dying, 

And speak that name with all its living 
power. 
Why should thy fainting heart be chill and 
weary ? 
Canst thou not watch with me one little 
hour? 

One little hour, and then the glorious crowning, 
The golden harpstring and the victor's 
palm. 

One little hour, and then, hallelujah! 
Eternity's long, deep thanksgiving song. 



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